Alabama Voters to Decide 11 Amendments

Voters in Alabama will do more Tuesday than elect a president and several state officials, they will vote on 11 proposed constitutional amendments.

Arguably the most debated amendment is No. 4. It's the second time lawmakers have attempted to remove racist language from the 1901 Constitution that allowed separate schools and poll taxes.

But black legislators have opposed the measure saying it leaves an amendment that says Alabama children have no right to an education.

Other amendments include a measure to continue the Forever Wild land conservation program for 20 years and another pushed by Gov. Robert Bentley would allow Alabama to issues millions more in bonds to offer incentives for industrial development.

Another measure could cut the pay of most legislators.

Another amendment challenges the federal Affordable Care Act.

Voters will also be deciding races in six of seven congressional districts. All six incumbents had major funding advantages over their opponents.

Without sizable campaign accounts, challengers had the tough path of relying on free social media and one-on-one campaigning to build support against better-known officeholders.

Some members of the state's congressional delegation spent part of the election season outside Alabama campaigning for their party's presidential candidate.

Republican representatives up for re-election include Martha Roby of Montgomery; Mike Rogers of Saks; Robert Aderholt of Haleyville; Mo Brooks of Huntsville and Spencer Bachus of Vestavia Hills. Alabama's lone Democratic member of Congress, Rep. Terri Sewell of Birmingham, also has opposition.

Alabama's chief election official, Secretary of State Beth Chapman, is forecasting voter turnout will be 72 to 74 percent. That would be about the same as the heavy turnout four years ago. The polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

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